In the field of dental radiology, taking cephalometric shots of the head of a patient with a facial and/or profile view is known.
Such images are obtained from an x-ray unit which includes an x-ray generator and an x-ray sensor. The sensor is placed facing the generator and the head of the patient is placed between the generator and the sensor.
The generator emits radiation in the form of a cone beam x-ray in the direction of the head of the patient and the sensor receives the radiation having irradiated the head.
This received radiation makes it possible to obtain a full projection of the cranium (hard tissue) of the patient which constitutes a cephalometric shot.
This projection is obtained by scanning the head of the patient in a continuous movement synchronized between a collimation slot and the sensor, for example, in the form of CCD linear array arranged behind the head.
This type of scanning takes approximately 10 seconds.